What we detect automatically
We check every listed server ourselves, so most of your listing stays up to date without you doing anything. This page explains what we look at and what you may notice on your server.
Status, players and ping
- Online status and players: checked every few minutes. A server only shows as offline after two missed checks in a row.
- MOTD, version and icon: read live from your server.
- Ping: the time to connect from our server, so it depends on where your server is.
Editions and mods
- Java + Bedrock: Java servers that also accept Bedrock players (for example with Geyser) are found automatically and get a “Java + Bedrock” label with the Bedrock address and port.
- Modded: Forge, NeoForge, Fabric and hybrid servers are recognised from what the server reports. The mod list is shown on your page when the server shares it.
Non-premium (cracked)
We start a login with a made-up name to see whether the server needs a paid account. Your console may briefly show a player named CraftRankBot joining and leaving: that is us. It happens about every three days and never on every status check.
Player count check
We look at how your player count changes over a few days. Real servers are busier at some hours than at others. A normal pattern gets “Real player count”. A number that sits at the player limit or never moves is marked “Player count looks unusual”. While it is marked, the server is not counted in our player totals and moves to the bottom of the ranking, until the count looks normal again. More in How our rankings work.
Tested versions
About once a week we start a login with several game versions, from 1.8.9 up to the newest, to see which ones can join. The result shows on your page as “Works with …”. This test also counts towards the verified badge.
Server news
Some changes are posted on your page and on the server news page by themselves: a new MOTD that stays, a move to a new game version, a new player record, opening on your announced launch date, and a newly added server. Your own posts appear there too; see Updates, events and jobs.